________________________ Spreading the Love of Reading One Book at a Time _______________________
This blog is for anyone whoever picked up a book and couldn't put it down. It's for anyone who loves to read and reads often. It's for anyone like me who's been seduced by a book and can't wait to discuss it.

Once upon a time there was a boy and a girl, who were each others best friend. They roamed the countryside in search of danger and adventure. Then one day, when she was 16 and he 17, he asked her to marry him. She said no. Not because she didn't love him, but because of duty to her family. Shortly thereafter, the boy disappeared never to be seen or heard from again. That is, until now...

Cameron Fanning, now Daggert, never expected to see his childhood sweetheart, Sophie Lawrence, in a place like the Wolf's Lair. She was a rector's daughter and the Wolf's Lair was a brothel. But neither his eyes nor his ears were deceiving him. She was there. As he watched and waited he saw her hand off a small package to a man, Lord Dudley. He heard her mention she was desperate. He should not have cared, but he found that he did. If she was in trouble, he'd get her out.

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This is the third book of the Lords of Midnight series, but the first one I've read. I didn't feel lost as this story seemed fairly self contained. Both Connor and Gryffin, the two main character from the previous books, have minor roles in this one, but you don't need a lot of background information about them other than they are Cam's best friends and are fiercely loyal to one another. In London, they are known as the Hellhounds, and Cam is the only one of the trio who has yet to be domesticated by a woman.

Cameron is a very interesting character. He doesn't have a high opinion of himself as he was raised a bastard and never allowed to forget just what that designation meant. While he did leave home over 10 years ago, he didn't leave for the reasons Sophie might have suspected. But leaving home at 17 without much more than the clothes on your back can lead a youth to do things they aren't particularly proud of and toughen their skin. He reveals, "I am a creature of Darkness." he murmured, feeling the cool fingers of night nymphs tickle his cheeks and thread through his hair. A man whose heart was now carved out of coal. Black oh-so black, and cold to the touch. "Connor and Gryff may be Lords of the Land, but I am a Wraith of Midnight." A specter whose place in the world was here, moving through the realm of the moon.
Sophie has spent her life doing the right thing even when it wasn't the easiest thing to do. She's loyal, straight laced, and desperate. She, or rather her family, is being blackmailed. With her sister's upcoming nuptials she's desperate to make sure nothing happens to prevent the marriage from taking place. A scandal could definitely do that. While the allegations against her father are false, she has no way of proving that because the blackmailer's have a piece of paper in their possession that certainly sounds incriminating, and those who could have vouched that her father's innocence are long since dead.

Sophie and Cam will need to learn to trust one another as they once did. Together they'll need to uncover the mystery of what Sophie's blackmailer ultimately wants. They'll need to figure out how to keep the family from scandal while putting an end to the blackmailer's scheme. Additionally, they'll need to reassess their feelings for each other and determine if they should rekindle their relationship or if some things are just too dangerous to desire...

Overall, this one get 4 out of 5 roses. I loved the chemistry between Cam and Sophie and the way they worked together. I enjoyed the mystery of why someone would go to all the trouble of trying to exploit a rector's daughter and potentially scandalize the family. I liked the fact these two truly had something special all those years ago and were able to resurrect it. Most significantly, this book left me with a good feeling and a smile on my face. I will definitely need to read the previous two books of the series. On the Lisarenee Romance Rating Scale, this one got a STEAM rating--too hot for a fan, but you still have a handle on things. You should use extreme caution when reading a book with this rating in public. People may inquire as to why you looked flustered and flushed.